Northern California CCDS

Indigenous Peoples Day 2011

On Monday October 10. 2011, I took a special ferry boat to Alcatraz, that only cost $11, round trip. The occasion was a new alternate Holiday to Columbus day, but one that is Holy compared to the Unholiness  of Columbus Day. It was called a celebration of the rights of indigenous peoples of the Americas. 2000 or more of us were present and were told about the new (2007) UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People, saying they had gone directly to the UN rather than going through our own countries, where we had too often gotten little or nothing. 

The celebration was diverse, and everyone was welcome. All we had to do is be ready at 5:15 A. M.to take the first boat and not miss anything at all.  We enjoyed an excellent Pow Wow drummers and singers group  (this was good enough so everyone would enjoy it), and watched Pomo, Hawaiian and Maya dancers, who were well trained, athletic  and wore beautiful costumes. Finally, we got fresh shredded tobacco, and added it to the fire at the center of the great circle we gathered in.

Think of who Columbus was, and what he and the monarchs of Spain started. Native inhabitants of the Americas occupied two continents, and had established ways of life , much of which we can learn vital lessons from, such as a great respect for nature and for all living things.

Imagine a group of soldiers claiming, with tremendous arrogance, they ‘discovered’ an already occupied continents, killing, enslaving and chasing the original people from where they lived, destroying their culture in well planned and forceful ways. In this country ,the new settlers  allowed the original inhabitants only to live in barren places, and by slaughtering the animals they lived on, made the original ones entirely dependent for any survival.  Imagine soldiers slaughtering all the human inhabitants of villages and committing unspeakable acts to their dead bodies, and the cultural genocide imposed on dependent people.  (You can read Dee Brown’s “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” to understand what happened in the United States.)

What a refreshing new Holiday this is, a celebration of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas in place of a Holiday for a mass murderer who has Countries,  Capital cities, and Capital districts named for him.                   

By Walter Rice, Sacramento, CA.     

 

May 1: Vukani Mawethu Benefit and Anniversary Celebration

May 1, 2011,  4:00 to 7:00 p.m., at the Freight & Salvage, 2020 Addison, Berkeley, CA.
Tickets:  $20.50/adv, $22.50/door
Information: (510)444-5009

Vukani Mawethu Choir invites you to celebrate their 25nd Anniversary as an all volunteer non-profit, community-based choir which has been singing freedom songs of South Africa for 25 years and raising funds for worthy projects, primarily those dealing with the devastating impact of AIDS/HIV, and also youth/education projects in Southern Africa as well as here in the Bay Area.

Vukani Mawethu Choir has performed for thousands of organizations, events and benefits in the last 2-1/2 decades, helping many other groups and organizations to continue their work as well.

This will be a very special event honoring Jon Fromer, and also posthumously, James Madhlope Phillips and Fundi (Josephine Austin), with our 2nd Ubuntu Award (“humanity towards others”). It will also be an evening of first-rate entertainment: in addition to harmonic sounds of Vukani Mawethu, we'll be hearing dynamic guest artists such as Raymond Nat Turner & Zigi Lowenberg of UpSurge!, Richard Linley & Q.B. Williams of Palm Wine Boys, E.W. Wainwright
of African Roots of Jazz, and Avotcja. The Hon. Jeanette Ndhlovu, High Commissioner and South African Ambassador to Ghana, Gwen Mahlangu-Nkabinde, former South African Prime Minister and current Minister of Public Works, and author/professor Dr. Boatamo Mosupyoe will also be present, along with other special surprise guests.

Proceeds will benefit youth and AIDS-related projects that Vukani Mawethu supports in Southern Africa as well as in the Bay Area.

All out for March 19

All out for March 19

National day of action on 8th anniversary of U.S. invasion of Iraq

12 noon, at UN Plaza, 7th and Market St., San Francisco

End war and occupation and union busting

for more information, www.answersf.org

 

C. T. Weber for California Lieutenant Governor

The Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism, Northern California has endorsed one of our own for public office, C. T. Weber.

C. T. is the Peace and Freedom Party candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California.  He has an undergraduate degree in History and a master’s in Public Administration, both from California State University Long Beach.  Weber worked 16 years with the California Public Utilities Commission, where he served as a special agent in charge of the San Diego District Office.  He was transferred to the California Highway Patrol where he worked as a Government Analyst in Sacramento.

Weber spent over 20 years as a union organizer and elected officer.  He was elected four times to the California State Employees Association Board of Directors.  He was also elected to a number of SEIU Local 1000 positions, such as district labor council secretary/treasurer, chief steward, and president.  Weber served on the SEIU Local 1000 State Council and was a delegate to Sacramento Central Labor Council.

Currently, C. T. Weber is the Peace and Freedom Party of California State Chairperson.  He is also active in several organizations including; CSEA Retirees; California Alliance of Retired Americans, Legislative Committee; Federation Of Retired Union Members 2^nd Vice President; Gray Panthers; Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism, Northern California, Coordinating Committee; Coalition of Labor Union Women; and Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, AFL-CIO.

Northern California CCDS Annual Membership Meeting, Sat., Aug. 21

Members of the CCDS in Northern California are invited to the Northern California Annual Membership Meeting, Saturday, August 21, 10am to 3pm at the Niebyl-Proctor Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave. (near Alcatraz), Oakland.  Anyone who is a member is entitled to attend and vote. Lunch will be provided.   (You can pay your dues at the meeting, if you are behind.) 

The meeting will feature a panel discussion with presentations on:

• Peace and global conflicts
• The economy and jobs
• The environment and climate crisis
• Socialism

An important part of the Annual Membership Meeting is the election by the members of a Treasurer and 14 other members of the Northern California Coordinating Committee. You are urged to nominate yourself or other members. If you live far from the Bay Area but have a computer, we are exploring a service that can allow us to conduct our meetings by video conference. This would work even if you don’t have a camera. If you might want to serve on the Northern California Coordinating Committee but can’t travel to meetings, call us (see number above) or email for details.

Latin American Models, Summer 2010

by Mel Martynn
 
     Now that I've got your attention....  The best of the Latin American government models are on display this very summer.  Director Oliver Stone's new documentary film "South of the Border" brings us a lot of easy-to-understand information about what's currently going on down there. Bring your middle-of-the road family and friends to this plain vanilla but entertaining presentation about an amazing progressive bloc and what socialist actions in the concrete look like in South America. The film opens with a lengthy section on Venezuela, and its president, Hugo Chavez. There are good sections about prior U.S. involvement and Chavez' subsequent rise to being elected president, and his care and concerns about uniting all of South America like early liberator Simon Bolivar envisioned.  Other countries covered include Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Ecuador, and Cuba.  Although sometimes it's a bit too much of  "talking heads,"  (each country leader is formally interviewed), "South of the Border" de-demonizes this leadership and what is happening there, and more importantly, brings to public attention the

Disability Rights Activists to Re-establish 'Arnieville'

June 22, 2010
by Jonathan Nack

OAKLAND – Disability rights activists are set to re-establish the “Arnieville” tent city in Berkeley today. The encampment is in opposition to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposed budget cuts to In-Home Support Services (IHSS) in California, which the activist consider inhumane, illegal, and financially stupid. [ See June 6 IndyBay article ]

“We're totally fed up”, said Jean Stewart, one of the organizers, who is herself an IHSS recipient. “Every year the budget puts us through sheer hell – we face the terror that we could lose our services,” explained Stewart.

IHSS provides services to people in their homes who might otherwise probability have to be institutionalized.

Picket Port of Oakland, this Sunday, June 20

URGENT!

Dear members and friends,

This SUNDAY we have an historic opportunity to take an important stand to end the Israeli blockade of Gaza and for the rights of Palestinians. 

A Picket has been called against an Israeli ship at the Port of Oakland for very early Sunday morning.  With solidarity from the workers of ILWU Local 10, this could be the first time an Israeli vessel has been successfully boycotted in the U.S.

The CCDS Northern California Coordinating Committee has voted unanimously to endorse this unprecedented protest and calls on all members and friends to join, publicize and promote the action.

More than a hundred people attended an organizing meeting on Wednesday night in S.F.  Militants from Local 10 were in attendance, as were two brave activists who were on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.  Spirits were very high and there is a lot of optimism for a successful action.  There is a large coalition organizing the picket with significant labor support.  Local 10 and the San Francisco and Alameda County Central Labor Councils have already condemned Israel's seizing of the Freedom Flotilla and the outrageous killing of unarmed civilian solidarity activists.

It was recalled at the meeting that the successful pickets and boycotts of South African ships in 1984 in S. F. played a critical and catalytic role in the international movement to end legal Apartheid.  Once again the Bay Area can play a leading role in a key global struggle for social justice and human rights.

TIME: 5:30 AM - 5:30 PM, Sunday, June 20, 2010

Location: Port of Oakland, Berth 57, Middle Harbor Rd

For list of sponsors and additional information:
www.answersf.org and www.transportworkers.org.

Come out to the Port of Oakland this Sunday!  Inform and mobilize your networks!

Lift the Blockade Now - Let Gaza Live!

In solidarity,

Jonathan Nack, Ellen Schwartz, and Steve Willett, for the Northern California Coordinating Committee

Image: Gaza Border sign, thanks to Sacramento Area Peace Action and Because People Matter, July-August 2006

June 8 Primary: Ballot Proposition Recommendations

The Northern California CCDS Coordinating Comittee has taken the following positions on propositions on the June 8, 2010 Primary ballot (the descriptions are the official titles of the propositions, which are sometimes misleading).  The post below this shows CCDS members who are running for office and will appear on the June Primary ballots.  

Prop 13: Limits on Property Tax Assessment. Seismic Retrofitting of Existing Buildings. No POSITION

Prop 14: Elections. Increases Right to Participate in Primary Elections. – VOTE NO. This measure would virtually eliminate the third parties, and even weakens the Democrat and Republican parties, as elections become more “candidate-driven.”

Prop 15: California Fair Elections Act. – VOTE YES with reservations.  This is a pilot program for public funding of Secretary of State candidates in 2014 and 2018. There is a conflict in wording with Prop 14. If Prop 15 passes with a higher majority, it may cause Prop 14 to be nullified, which would be a desirable outcome. But Prop 15 itself is deeply flawed in giving Democrats & Republicans more money than the other party candidates: how much money is based on what party you belong to. The four smaller parties have to fulfill the same qualifications, but get half the money. If they raise ½ the signatures and contributions as the two larger parties, they get ¼ the funding. We are in favor of completely publically funded elections, including equal funding for third parties. Prop 15 would end the existing ban on public funding and potentially open the way for fuller access. 

Prop 16: Imposes New Two-Thirds Voter Approval Requirement for Local Public Electricity Providers. VOTE NO. This proposition would require a 2/3 vote for a local public electric utility to be established.  Requiring a two-thirds vote of approval would make it nearly impossible to create new public utilities. 

Prop 17: Allows Auto Insurance Companies to Base Their Prices in Part on a Driver's History of Insurance Coverage. VOTE NO. This proposition would permit insurance companies to impose a surcharge for people with gaps in coverage even if they hadn’t been driving (e.g., because of illness, military service). 

June 8 Primary: Candidates

We are not making endorsements for these (or other) statewide races; past experience shows that our members want to make up their own minds. But to help you evaluate the candidates, we want to let you know of several of our members who are running for office in the June Primary. If there are other CCDS members who are running for office in California, please let us know!

C.T. Weber, CCDS Northern California Coordinating Committee member is running for Lt. Governor on the Peace & Freedom Party ticket.

Former member William Balderston is running for state Insurance Commissioner on the Green Party ticket.  Bill wrote an article for our newsletter last September on the state budget, "The Budget's In, Our Needs Are Out."